Vocabulary

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Mineral : A naturally occurring, not organic solid that has a definite chemical composition.
Naturally occurring : A substance that occurs naturally.
Inorganic : Something that is completely new, something that did not come from another substance that was once living.
Solid : A substance that is together, the particles in the substance stay together so it can not move around like a liquid.
Crystal structure : The molecules of a mineral forms in repeating pattern, which makes a crystal structure.
Definite chemical composition : Meaning having certain elements.
Elements : A substance made by a single atom.
Compound : A substance joined by two or more elements.
Hardness : How strong a substance is.
Streak : The color of the mineral's powder.
Luster : How the mineral reflects light.
Density : Mass in a space, no matter what the size of the mineral is the density will always stay the same.
Crystal systems : Minerals have structures made by the pattern of the atoms of a mineral.
Cleavage and fractures : The way a mineral breaks include cleavage and fractures.

Outline

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• What is a mineral?
  • Over 3,000 identified minerals.
  • A naturally occurring, inorganic hard substance.
  • Also has a definite chemical composition and a crystal structure.
• Naturally occurring
  • Minerals must occur naturally.
  • Some minerals are human-made, they are not exactly a mineral.
• Inorganic
  • A mineral also has to be inorganic.
  • Inorganic meaning not from a substance that was once living.
• Solid
  • Minerals must too be a solid
  • The particles of a mineral must stay together, like a solid.
  • A solid does not move like a liquid.
• Crystal structure
  • The particles of the mineral line up in a pattern.
  • The pattern create the structure.
• Identifying minerals
  • Every mineral has a special property you can use to identify it.
    • Hardness
      • How strong or hard a mineral is.
        • Mohs hardness scale is a type of scale for testing hardness.
    • Color
      • Color can't identify specific minerals.
    • Streak
      • Streak means the color of the minerals powder.
    • Luster
      • Luster is how the mineral reflects to light.
    • Density
      • Density is always the same, no matter what the size of the mineral.
    • Crystal systems
      • The crystal structure is made by the pattern from a mineral's particle.